Pieces of my soul
by 70 inc
Summary: It's ten years after the war and Draco is left to pick up the pieces of his soul.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one: Of pasts and futures

'BOOM!_' An explosion shook the area as a volley of spells made contact with the wards surrounding Hogwarts._

"_They're coming!" A sentinel cried. He had to be no more than seventeen. Much too young to see war, but there he was none-the-less informing the troops of the Death Eaters' advancement on the school._

_Women gasped at the announcement and men went ridged and stiff. It was time. It was the beginning of the end. Everyone knew that today, one way or another, the war that has lasted for four years, will finally be over. They also knew that many would die, maybe even them, or the person next to them. But they didn't speak of such things. Gotta keep morale up, y'know._

_The inner circle of the Order was in a meeting preparing for the coming battle. Twenty-three year old Harry Potter was readying himself. He was the key, the one to end it all. Hermione was locked away in Gryffindor Tower, too pregnant to battle, not to mention she already had a little one that was only three. Ron Weasley was dead, had been for a fortnight. Pity, he never got to see the birth of his child. He was on assignment when their first was born and promised to be there this time. Oh well. Healers say it's a boy, his first._

_The doors to Hogwarts were blasted open and the fight had begun. Swarms of Death Eaters spilled into the school, led by, Lucius Malfoy._

_The first wave of Death Eaters was met with minimal troops. Many had been in various parts of the castle and had yet to make it to the Entrance Hall. They almost outnumbered the side of the light two-to-one. _

_The odds were against them and they were losing ground fast. More and more Death Eaters were pouring in. Too many, too fast. They didn't have enough people. Things weren't going well._

_Then a group of Death Eaters pushed their way through the doors. The new arrivals advanced on them. They pulled off their hoods, revealing themselves as Order spies._

"_Hey Draco," Blaise said with a wide smile._

"_What took you so bloody long?" Draco asked with a small laugh. Pansy just grinned. A jet of red light shot over their heads. "Shit! Enough small talk, let's kick some arse."_

_Shortly after the arrival of the spies, the rest of the Order arrived. The fighting was fast and furious. Draco lost sight of his friends and concerned himself only with the wizard on the other end of his wand._

_It was almost the end of the battle. Harry and Voldemort were dueling and many of the Death Eaters had been pushed back. Draco looked down his wand and found no one there. _

_He took the time to quickly asses the room. Blaise was dodging spells left and right from a large Death Eater. Another explosion threw the man off balance and Blaise hit him with a stunning spell. Draco then turned from Blaise to seek out Pansy._

_He caught sight of her. She was on the far end of the room battling with a Death Eater whose hood had been stripped away. Platinum blonde cascaded down the man's back. Draco's heart stopped. _

_He watched as his father shot a spell at the girl who quickly got out of the way. The spell hit the wall where she had been. She recovered in record time. She took up her stance again, her eyes trained on the elder Malfoy. He shot a few more spells at her. Each she dodged and each landed on the wall. _

_The last one however skimmed the girl and sent her to the ground. She went down hard. Lucius made no move toward her. Draco found it odd that he wasn't moving to finish her. Instead he seemed to be very interested in something on the ceiling._

_Draco followed his gaze and gasped. The ceiling of the castle was cracking and looked ready to cave in. The spells that hit the wall had dislodged a couple medium-sized pieces. It would only take a small thud to have them come crashing down. When Pansy's body hit the ground, it made a thud._

"_PANSY!" Draco screamed as he shoved his way through the crowd to get to her. He watched in horror as the slabs of rock came falling to the earth. The girl's eyes widened in terror, and she rolled a bit to the left. _

_It was that roll that prevented the impact from killing her immediately. The rocks landed next to her and seemed to bounce. One landed on her chest and the other across her legs. Draco dropped to his knees as soon as he reached her. He was vaguely aware of Arthur Weasley dueling with his father, Ron's murder._

"_Oh, Pansy," He cried looking at the rocks. He had no idea what to do. _

"_Draco," She whispered, coughing. A thin line of scarlet blood rolled down the side of her mouth._

"_Shh, baby, don't talk," He told her, taking one of her hands in his and pushing her bangs off of her forehead._

"_Draco, I have…have to tell you something." She said, gulping at the air as if she couldn't get enough. _

"_Save your strength. We'll get Pomfrey and she'll heal you. You'll be ok." Draco said with a forced smile, trying to blink back the tears._

"_Draco, I'm dying." Pansy said, tears springing to her blue eyes._

"_No, no you're not. Don't talk that way." Draco said sternly. He wouldn't let her give up._

"_No, I am dying and I have something to tell you. Something important." She said. "Please, please listen to me."_

"_I'm listening." Draco said softly. He knew that it might be a while till they got medical help and he needed to keep her conscious and talking._

"_I'm not Lucy's mother." Pansy said, tears spilling across her face. _

"_What do you mean you're not her mother?" Draco asked confused. "Of course you're her mother." Draco had been there when she had given birth._

"_No," Pansy shook her head. "I was just a carrier. She was made, Draco. And not from bits of me and you."_

"_Pansy, I don't understand." Draco said looking confused._

"_Voldemort _made _her." Pansy said looking straight into Draco's eyes with total conviction._

"_He-he made her? How? Why?" Draco asked._

"_He knew that the battle with Potter would take a lot out of him. He didn't think that his old body could sustain life after the fight. So he made a new one. He blended blood from the two most powerful wizards in the world." Pansy explained her breath ragged. "He used the blood and a spell to form the child. And he needed a body to carry it. I was that body; I was the only female Death Eater fit for the job of carrying a child to term."_

"_Wha- what?" Draco asked in disbelief._

"_I stole away a week before I was due. I could not allow what he planned to do to the child. She has a soul, Draco. Her own, individual, beautiful soul. He was going to expel it from the body and replace it with his own." Pansy sobbed. "That's why I switched sides. How could I stay on the same side as that monster?"_

"_So…so Lucy's not mine?" Draco asked shocked. Pansy's eyes went wide and she shook her head._

"_No, no she is yours. Your blood was used to make her. You are her father." Pansy said. Draco nodded slowly._

"_My blood…and who else's?" Draco asked. Pansy let out a sob._

"_I can't say. We were all made to take a vow that would never say where the other blood came from." Draco looked at her._

"_He made you vow against that but not against telling anyone about it?" Draco asked incredulously. Pansy nodded._

"_He didn't see what it would matter if someone knew what he did. They wouldn't know the spell, and if they destroyed the body than he'd make another. But the other blood, it's his secret weapon. One that would ensure him his power for eons. "Pansy was gasping now. Her gasps gave away to another coughing fit. Draco had almost forgotten about her injuries._

"_Pansy? Oh Merlin." He cried as the girl coughed up a mouthful of blood. Once the fit had passed she lay back down._

"_Look in her eyes, Draco. You'll know where the other blood comes from." Pansy closed her eyes and winced as she took a shuddery breath. "Draco, I want you to take care of Lucy. Don't let her grow up like we did. I love her so much." Pansy took a few gasping breaths before her chest stilled. _

"_Pansy?" Draco put a finger at her neck, no pulse. "Pansy? No! Don't do this to me. Don't you die. Don't you fucking die! Pansy!" Draco screamed. He hadn't realized that the battle appeared to be over, that there was a ring of Order members around him. He clung to the body of his fallen friend and sobbed into her chest._

"_Pansy, come back. Don't leave me. I can't do this. Not alone." He cried over and over again. Hours later and he was still lying on his friend's chest. He jumped when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned and was face-to-face with Hermione._

_The girl's chocolate brown eyes were full of tears._

"_Pansy died." Draco said flatly, looking like a lost child._

"_I know, sweetheart." She told him, holding back a sob. Draco threw himself into her embrace._

"_Pansy died," Draco cried into the girl's chest._

"_I know" She sobbed rocking him back and forth. "I know,"_

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Draco Malfoy lunged forward and slammed the 'snooze' button of his alarm clock on his night stand. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the white popcorn ceiling of his flat in downtown London. The remains of the dream still lurking in his mind.

_That was strange. I haven't dreamt of Pansy's death for years._ Draco thought to himself. But than again, it had been ten and a half years since it happened and the war ended. Draco wasn't one to stay in the past, not when you had a past like he did. Instead he lived for the moment and at the moment; he had a job to go to and a daughter to wake.

With a sigh Draco turned off his alarm clock and pulled himself out of his way-too-comfortable bed and stumbled to his bathroom.

Yawing, he walked over to the toilet and relieved himself. Shucking his boxers that were his nightclothes, he stepped into his white linoleum shower/tub and pulled the plastic shower curtains, decorated with sea shells, closed.

He turned on the water and adjusted it until it was the right temperature before he stepped under the flowing water. Draco sighed as the hot water pounded on his shoulders. He quickly washed his hair and body before he got out. He tied a big fluffy blue towel around his waist and went back to his room.

"Lucy, wake up!" He shouted down the hall before he shut his door. Drying off, Draco pulled on his clothes, a smoke grey t-shirt and light blue jeans. He looked at the alarm clock and cursed. It was 7:10. Lucy had to be to school in twenty minutes. Draco pulled on his socks and shoes, grabbed his jacket and bag off his bedroom door and left the room.

"Lucina Malfoy! You better be up, we're running late. Something must be up with my clock." Draco yelled as he walked through the halls of his flat, pulling on his jacket. He entered the kitchen where his daughter was eating a bowl of cereal and reading a newspaper.

"Lucy, we got to go," He told the little girl. Lucy looked up from her paper.

"Aw, but I didn't get to finish my cereal." She pouted. Draco turned his back on her and opened up the pantry.

"Sorry, but you'll be late if we don't leave now," Draco said grabbing a breakfast bar.

"But daddy, it's my birthday. Why am I going to school anyway?" she asked. Draco looked at his daughter.

"I know, petal, but you still have to go to school. Now let's go." Draco grabbed the post off the kitchen table where Lucy had dropped it before getting lost in her paper and moved toward the door. Lucy grumbled something but followed him anyway. "Don't fret, little one. You still have your party to look forward to this weekend." He said smiling down at the newly eleven-year old girl.

She looked back up at him, her brilliant green eyes lighting up in excitement. Her white-blonde curls bounced as she walked.

"I can't wait. It's going to be great." She said smiling.

"Did you invite a lot of your friends?" He asked the girl. She pulled a face.

"No, Trevor Morgan told everyone in our class that I was strange." She said. Draco put his hands in his pockets as the pair took off down the street to Lucy's school. He couldn't believe that his little girl was now in sixth grade.

"Did he? And where would he get an idea like that?" Draco asked the girl. Lucy crossed her arms over her chest.

"Cos, he's stupid." Lucy grumbled.

"Now, Lucy, it isn't nice to call people names." Draco said sternly.

"But he is, daddy. He doesn't even know all his times tables." Lucy argued, talking with her hands. Draco gave her a look. She crossed her arms again and looked away. "He said that I was a witch."

Draco stopped dead in his tracks and turned to his daughter.

"He said what?" He asked trying not to sound as panicked as he felt. Lucy stopped as well and looked at her father.

"He said I was a witch. He said that I cast a spell and that was why I always get good marks. I told him that it was just because I work hard and do my work, unlike him." Lucy explained. Draco let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding.

"Oh, well that wasn't very nice of him." Draco said as he started to walk again. The two walked in silence for a moment before Lucy spoke up again.

"I've done it before." She said softly.

"Done what?" Draco asked.

"Magic." She said looking up at her dad. "But not to cheat or anything."

"What makes you think you've done magic?" He asked once again fighting to remain calm.

"Well, there was that one time at school when I was six and I was really hungry but Ms. Monroe said that I had to wait until lunch, and I turned around and there was a cookie on my desk. And then there was that time that I had a tantrum and things fell off the walls. Just little things." Lucy said. Draco looked at her through the corner of his eye.

"Those are all explainable, Lucy. Magic doesn't exist." He said as they reached the school. He turned around and knelt in front of her. "School's only been in session for two weeks. There's still time for things to change."

Lucy looked away.

"Hey, hey look at me." He said and held her chin. "You are a very special girl, Lucy. Just remember that." The little girl nodded and Draco kissed her cheek.

"Ew, dad! There are people watching." She cried wiping her cheek. Draco chuckled. She was definitely his daughter.

"Just go to class." He said giving her a light push. Lucy threw back her shoulders, set her chin and walked through the doors of the school. "Such a brave one," Draco said to himself and not for the first time, he wondered if the other blood had been from a Gryffindor.

That girl had no fears. She nearly scared him to death half a dozen times when she was a babe. She'd tried to crawl head first down stairs numerous times, she'd put almost anything in her mouth and she'll try everything once. Draco shook his head and looked at his watch.

"Bugger!" He whispered. He was going to be late for work. "Third time this month." Draco mumbled. He looked around and slipped into an alley. With a small 'pop' he apparated out of that alley to one twenty blocks away that was directly across from the magazine he worked at.

Draco hadn't sworn off magic, he just didn't do it anymore. Unless, it was necessary, like apparating to work or quickly whipping up a meal when unexpected company stopped by. Other than that, Draco lived as a muggle. He lived in a muggle apartment, sent his daughter to a muggle school and worked at a muggle magazine as a photographer

Draco had always had a bit of a fascination for muggle photographs. He liked that they seemed to capture a sole moment in time. Where as wizard photos seemed to bounce around far too much for someone to be able to enjoy them. Besides, wizards took pictures more as a necessity than a pleasure. There were portraits and family photographs but none that seemed like the photographer just thought it was pretty.

Once the war was over, Draco lived with Hermione for a bit. He was too young and male to know how to take care of an infant. Lucy had only been six month's old when Pansy died. It was shortly after Lucy's first birthday that Draco decided he didn't want his daughter to grow up in the world he did.

Though the Wizarding World was in the process of reconstruction and all was going well, Draco couldn't help but feel the need to get out. So he took his daughter and left. He found a nice two bedroom flat in downtown London, a good K-12 school from Lucy and a job at the magazine.

Draco walked across the street and entered the small office of _Serenity_ magazine. It was your average magazine; a little bit of news, a little bit of gossip. And lot's of pictures taken by yours truly.

"Hey Draco," A young girl greeted him as she passed him. She had brown hair that was up in twin buns on top of her head and large brown eyes. She wore a colorful long-sleeved shirt under a pair of overalls with a teddy bear on one pocket and she was cover in grease.

"Hey Kaylee," He greeted the girl. She was the mechanic for all the printing machines, hence the grease. "How's the old girl?" He asked referring to the printing press.

"Purrs like a kitten," She answered happily. Draco smiled.

"Good to hear." He said as he walked pass her and head to his office.

"Hey Drake, Mal's looking for you." Zoë, the resident reporter said sticking her head out from her office. Draco groaned.

"What did I do now?" He asked himself.

"You missed our meeting this morning," A voice said behind him. Draco turned around to face his boss, Malcolm Reynolds.

"'Morning Mal," Draco said cheerily. The man just looked at him. He was quite the intimidating character with his piercing dark eyes, chiseled physique and mysterious past. All Draco really knew about the man was that he was American and he was raised on a ranch by his mother and twenty or so ranch hands and later on in life was in some war as a sergeant and almost all of his troops save Zoë had been killed. And his side lost.

After the war he had a small smuggling business that was just this side of legal and spent his life keeping one foot ahead of the law. All the other employees at the magazine had once been a part of Mal's crew. How he became an editor for a magazine, Draco didn't know, nor did he ask. He respected Mal too much. This man had given him a job and never once asked Draco about his past or anything of the sort. But Draco heard something along the lines of his friend, girlfriend, or wife was killed and he took it hard.

"Look Mal, I'm real sorry. I thought the meeting was tomorrow." Draco said running a hand through his hair. "I was running late this morning and I had to take Lucy to school." Mal softened.

"How is the little tyke?" He asked turning around and gesturing for Draco to follow him.

"Oh, ugh, she's having a bit of trouble at school. Some boy is giving her a hard time." Draco answered trying to keep up with the man's long strides.

"Hmm, eleven's a tough age." Mal said. "Kids are cruel and parents-no offense- are getting too old to remember what it's like to be that age." Draco didn't say anything. He remembered exactly what it was like being eleven. But didn't have any idea on what went on in muggle schools.

"Anyway, Draco, I just wanted to see how you were doing," Mal said as he sat behind his desk and Draco took a seat in front of it.

"I'm ok" Draco answered. Mal nodded.

"It's just that…you seem kind of out of it lately." Mal said. Draco shifted in his seat. He had been distracted. Draco had been fretting over Lucy turning eleven. He had no illusions that Hogwarts would be unable to find them. He was worried about her getting a letter. But of course he couldn't tell this to Mal, a muggle.

"It's nothing." Draco said avoiding Mal's eyes. Mal sighed.

"Listen, Draco, I understand that you have a past that you're not to keen on talking about. But I'd take it as a kindness if you'd not let it affect your work." Mal said. Draco nodded.

"Anything for you, honey." Draco said batting his eyelashes. Mal rolled his eyes.

"Stop flirting with me Malfoy, and get out." Mal said trying to sound stern but the upward curl of his lips gave him away. The two would play this game often.

"Aw, you know you like it." Draco said smiling coyly. "Just admit you want me."

"I'm going to fire you," Mal said managing a bit of a glare this time. Draco got out of his chair and leaned across the desk.

"No you're not, and you know why?" Draco asked. Mal just stared at him. "Because I am just too damn pretty." Draco smirked at the man and sat back in his chair. "Not to mention that I am the only photographer in this city that'll work for riff-raff like you,"

"Shut up and get to work," Mal said shaking his head.

"'Course, sugar," Draco said flashing the man a smile and getting up. "Oh, are you lot still coming to Lucy's party on Saturday?" He asked, stopping at the door.

"Uh, yeah I think so. What time?" Mal asked.

"Noon till…you guys leave." Draco told him. Mal nodded.

"We'll be there." Waving, Draco left the office.

"You really shouldn't tease him," Draco looked up and was face to face with Simon. Simon was a doctor by trade but now he and his little sister, who's a bit barmy in the brainpan, were on the run. He was still putting his medical skills to use. You would be surprised at how often someone got hurt.

When he wasn't patching up the crew he was the resident fact checker. Simon knew everything about everything. Comes from the higher education he was privy too, and he definitely looked the part with his lily-white skin, perfect black hair, and fancy clothes. His sister, well she was just kind of _there_. She didn't do much and no one really asked her to.

"Oh Simon, calm down. I'm just having some fun." Draco said rolling his eyes.

"I don't think he finds it very fun." Simon replied disgruntled. Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. He had seen the Doctor looking at Mal when he thought no one, including Mal, was watching. Draco was also quite positive that he had seen Mal do the same.

"Look, Simon-"

"Whatta we got here?" A gruff voice said. The two men turned. "Two of Mal's biggest fans." Jayne Cobb use to be Mal's mercenary. Now he was a glorified security guard with friends in low places. Draco narrowed his eyes at the man. He resisted the urge to give the oaf a patent Malfoy Death Glare. Draco really had no desire to see a grown man cry or shit himself or both, so early in the morning.

Simon opened his mouth to say something to the man but Draco interrupted him.

"Why look at this, Simon." Draco said crossing his arms and putting a finger on his chin in a thoughtful gesture as he studied the man before him. "Do you know what we got here?" Simon looked from Jayne to Draco and back again.

"I'm afraid I do not." Simon replied studying Jayne who glared at him. Jayne's dirt brown eyes widened as Draco stepped closer to him and began to circle him. Simon followed going the opposite direction.

"Stop, you guys. I mean it." Jayne cried. They were freaking him out.

"We have the first living evidence of an upright ape." Draco exclaimed coming to a halt.

"Extraordinary." Simon stopped next to him.

"And it speaks." He said in mock excitement. "Amazing, truly amazing."

Jayne narrowed his eyes at the two and flashed them a rather rude finger gesture before walking away grumbling under his breath.

"Draco, I wonder where you came from. You truly are evil." Simon said watching Jayne retreating form.

"Now why would you say that? Just because Cobb and his five inch hip-blade and impressive collection of weapons don't intimidate me, doesn't mean I am evil." Draco responded. Simon looked at the other man out of the corner of his eye.

"I fear whatever it is that caused you to run. Must be rather terrifying if it has you hiding." Simon said. Draco stared blankly out into the open office.

"I'm not hiding from anything." Draco replied.

"'Course your not." Simon patted him on the shoulder before walking past him. Draco stared after the young man.

_Really, what does he know? I am not hiding from anything. I have nothing to be afraid of. _Draco thought sourly as he walked to his office.

_Not hiding? Than why do you live with muggles as a muggle? _A voice that sounded very much like his father, asked. Draco shoved the voice away. He had spent too much time over the past years arguing with himself. He had more important things to see to.

Draco entered his office and closed the door. He took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of his chair, where it promptly slid to the floor. Cursing under his breath, Draco walked over to his chair and picked up his jacket.

He furrowed his brow as he noticed a bulge on the side which probably was the cause of the jacket falling to the floor. Draco reached into the pocket and pulled out his post. He had forgotten that he had put it in there that morning.

Draco hung the jacket on the back of his chair and sat down. He flipped through the stack of envelopes.

"Bill, bill, Advertisement –hmm nice shoes, credit cards- what do I need credit for?, bank- got one, thanks and it's fortified by goblins, what you got? Muggle bodyguards? Kurt Russell and that Eastwood fellow, 'You could already be a winner'- scam, more bills-lovely, "Draco mumbled to himself as he sorted through the post. He pulled out the last envelope.

Draco's eyes widened as he looked at the envelope.

_No, it couldn't be…_

_Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_(an: It's been a while since I've written a story and I know that with college and all I wont post very often, so please be patient. By the way, this is not a crossover. I used the crew of Serenity because I thought it would be fun, and it was. plus, the beauty of fan fiction, to me, is not having to do all that work in creating your own characters, so I simply borrowed some more.)_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter one: Of pasts and futures

'BOOM!_' An explosion shook the area as a volley of spells made contact with the wards surrounding Hogwarts._

"_They're coming!" A sentinel cried. He had to be no more than seventeen. Much too young to see war, but there he was none-the-less informing the troops of the Death Eaters' advancement on the school._

_Women gasped at the announcement and men went ridged and stiff. It was time. It was the beginning of the end. Everyone knew that today, one way or another, the war that has lasted for four years, will finally be over. They also knew that many would die, maybe even them, or the person next to them. But they didn't speak of such things. Gotta keep morale up, y'know._

_The inner circle of the Order was in a meeting preparing for the coming battle. Twenty-three year old Harry Potter was readying himself. He was the key, the one to end it all. Hermione was locked away in Gryffindor Tower, too pregnant to battle, not to mention she already had a little one that was only three. Ron Weasley was dead, had been for a fortnight. Pity, he never got to see the birth of his child. He was on assignment when their first was born and promised to be there this time. Oh well. Healers say it's a boy, his first._

_The doors to Hogwarts were blasted open and the fight had begun. Swarms of Death Eaters spilled into the school, led by, Lucius Malfoy._

_The first wave of Death Eaters was met with minimal troops. Many had been in various parts of the castle and had yet to make it to the Entrance Hall. They almost outnumbered the side of the light two-to-one. _

_The odds were against them and they were losing ground fast. More and more Death Eaters were pouring in. Too many, too fast. They didn't have enough people. Things weren't going well._

_Then a group of Death Eaters pushed their way through the doors. The new arrivals advanced on them. They pulled off their hoods, revealing themselves as Order spies._

"_Hey Draco," Blaise said with a wide smile._

"_What took you so bloody long?" Draco asked with a small laugh. Pansy just grinned. A jet of red light shot over their heads. "Shit! Enough small talk, let's kick some arse."_

_Shortly after the arrival of the spies, the rest of the Order arrived. The fighting was fast and furious. Draco lost sight of his friends and concerned himself only with the wizard on the other end of his wand._

_It was almost the end of the battle. Harry and Voldemort were dueling and many of the Death Eaters had been pushed back. Draco looked down his wand and found no one there. _

_He took the time to quickly asses the room. Blaise was dodging spells left and right from a large Death Eater. Another explosion threw the man off balance and Blaise hit him with a stunning spell. Draco then turned from Blaise to seek out Pansy._

_He caught sight of her. She was on the far end of the room battling with a Death Eater whose hood had been stripped away. Platinum blonde cascaded down the man's back. Draco's heart stopped. _

_He watched as his father shot a spell at the girl who quickly got out of the way. The spell hit the wall where she had been. She recovered in record time. She took up her stance again, her eyes trained on the elder Malfoy. He shot a few more spells at her. Each she dodged and each landed on the wall. _

_The last one however skimmed the girl and sent her to the ground. She went down hard. Lucius made no move toward her. Draco found it odd that he wasn't moving to finish her. Instead he seemed to be very interested in something on the ceiling._

_Draco followed his gaze and gasped. The ceiling of the castle was cracking and looked ready to cave in. The spells that hit the wall had dislodged a couple medium-sized pieces. It would only take a small thud to have them come crashing down. When Pansy's body hit the ground, it made a thud._

"_PANSY!" Draco screamed as he shoved his way through the crowd to get to her. He watched in horror as the slabs of rock came falling to the earth. The girl's eyes widened in terror, and she rolled a bit to the left. _

_It was that roll that prevented the impact from killing her immediately. The rocks landed next to her and seemed to bounce. One landed on her chest and the other across her legs. Draco dropped to his knees as soon as he reached her. He was vaguely aware of Arthur Weasley dueling with his father, Ron's murder._

"_Oh, Pansy," He cried looking at the rocks. He had no idea what to do. _

"_Draco," She whispered, coughing. A thin line of scarlet blood rolled down the side of her mouth._

"_Shh, baby, don't talk," He told her, taking one of her hands in his and pushing her bangs off of her forehead._

"_Draco, I have…have to tell you something." She said, gulping at the air as if she couldn't get enough. _

"_Save your strength. We'll get Pomfrey and she'll heal you. You'll be ok." Draco said with a forced smile, trying to blink back the tears._

"_Draco, I'm dying." Pansy said, tears springing to her blue eyes._

"_No, no you're not. Don't talk that way." Draco said sternly. He wouldn't let her give up._

"_No, I am dying and I have something to tell you. Something important." She said. "Please, please listen to me."_

"_I'm listening." Draco said softly. He knew that it might be a while till they got medical help and he needed to keep her conscious and talking._

"_I'm not Lucy's mother." Pansy said, tears spilling across her face. _

"_What do you mean you're not her mother?" Draco asked confused. "Of course you're her mother." Draco had been there when she had given birth._

"_No," Pansy shook her head. "I was just a carrier. She was made, Draco. And not from bits of me and you."_

"_Pansy, I don't understand." Draco said looking confused._

"_Voldemort _made _her." Pansy said looking straight into Draco's eyes with total conviction._

"_He-he made her? How? Why?" Draco asked._

"_He knew that the battle with Potter would take a lot out of him. He didn't think that his old body could sustain life after the fight. So he made a new one. He blended blood from the two most powerful wizards in the world." Pansy explained her breath ragged. "He used the blood and a spell to form the child. And he needed a body to carry it. I was that body; I was the only female Death Eater fit for the job of carrying a child to term."_

"_Wha- what?" Draco asked in disbelief._

"_I stole away a week before I was due. I could not allow what he planned to do to the child. She has a soul, Draco. Her own, individual, beautiful soul. He was going to expel it from the body and replace it with his own." Pansy sobbed. "That's why I switched sides. How could I stay on the same side as that monster?"_

"_So…so Lucy's not mine?" Draco asked shocked. Pansy's eyes went wide and she shook her head._

"_No, no she is yours. Your blood was used to make her. You are her father." Pansy said. Draco nodded slowly._

"_My blood…and who else's?" Draco asked. Pansy let out a sob._

"_I can't say. We were all made to take a vow that would never say where the other blood came from." Draco looked at her._

"_He made you vow against that but not against telling anyone about it?" Draco asked incredulously. Pansy nodded._

"_He didn't see what it would matter if someone knew what he did. They wouldn't know the spell, and if they destroyed the body than he'd make another. But the other blood, it's his secret weapon. One that would ensure him his power for eons. "Pansy was gasping now. Her gasps gave away to another coughing fit. Draco had almost forgotten about her injuries._

"_Pansy? Oh Merlin." He cried as the girl coughed up a mouthful of blood. Once the fit had passed she lay back down._

"_Look in her eyes, Draco. You'll know where the other blood comes from." Pansy closed her eyes and winced as she took a shuddery breath. "Draco, I want you to take care of Lucy. Don't let her grow up like we did. I love her so much." Pansy took a few gasping breaths before her chest stilled. _

"_Pansy?" Draco put a finger at her neck, no pulse. "Pansy? No! Don't do this to me. Don't you die. Don't you fucking die! Pansy!" Draco screamed. He hadn't realized that the battle appeared to be over, that there was a ring of Order members around him. He clung to the body of his fallen friend and sobbed into her chest._

"_Pansy, come back. Don't leave me. I can't do this. Not alone." He cried over and over again. Hours later and he was still lying on his friend's chest. He jumped when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned and was face-to-face with Hermione._

_The girl's chocolate brown eyes were full of tears._

"_Pansy died." Draco said flatly, looking like a lost child._

"_I know, sweetheart." She told him, holding back a sob. Draco threw himself into her embrace._

"_Pansy died," Draco cried into the girl's chest._

"_I know" She sobbed rocking him back and forth. "I know,"_

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_

Draco Malfoy lunged forward and slammed the 'snooze' button of his alarm clock on his night stand. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the white popcorn ceiling of his flat in downtown London. The remains of the dream still lurking in his mind.

_That was strange. I haven't dreamt of Pansy's death for years._ Draco thought to himself. But than again, it had been ten and a half years since it happened and the war ended. Draco wasn't one to stay in the past, not when you had a past like he did. Instead he lived for the moment and at the moment; he had a job to go to and a daughter to wake.

With a sigh Draco turned off his alarm clock and pulled himself out of his way-too-comfortable bed and stumbled to his bathroom.

Yawing, he walked over to the toilet and relieved himself. Shucking his boxers that were his nightclothes, he stepped into his white linoleum shower/tub and pulled the plastic shower curtains, decorated with sea shells, closed.

He turned on the water and adjusted it until it was the right temperature before he stepped under the flowing water. Draco sighed as the hot water pounded on his shoulders. He quickly washed his hair and body before he got out. He tied a big fluffy blue towel around his waist and went back to his room.

"Lucy, wake up!" He shouted down the hall before he shut his door. Drying off, Draco pulled on his clothes, a smoke grey t-shirt and light blue jeans. He looked at the alarm clock and cursed. It was 7:10. Lucy had to be to school in twenty minutes. Draco pulled on his socks and shoes, grabbed his jacket and bag off his bedroom door and left the room.

"Lucina Malfoy! You better be up, we're running late. Something must be up with my clock." Draco yelled as he walked through the halls of his flat, pulling on his jacket. He entered the kitchen where his daughter was eating a bowl of cereal and reading a newspaper.

"Lucy, we got to go," He told the little girl. Lucy looked up from her paper.

"Aw, but I didn't get to finish my cereal." She pouted. Draco turned his back on her and opened up the pantry.

"Sorry, but you'll be late if we don't leave now," Draco said grabbing a breakfast bar.

"But daddy, it's my birthday. Why am I going to school anyway?" she asked. Draco looked at his daughter.

"I know, petal, but you still have to go to school. Now let's go." Draco grabbed the post off the kitchen table where Lucy had dropped it before getting lost in her paper and moved toward the door. Lucy grumbled something but followed him anyway. "Don't fret, little one. You still have your party to look forward to this weekend." He said smiling down at the newly eleven-year old girl.

She looked back up at him, her brilliant green eyes lighting up in excitement. Her white-blonde curls bounced as she walked.

"I can't wait. It's going to be great." She said smiling.

"Did you invite a lot of your friends?" He asked the girl. She pulled a face.

"No, Trevor Morgan told everyone in our class that I was strange." She said. Draco put his hands in his pockets as the pair took off down the street to Lucy's school. He couldn't believe that his little girl was now in sixth grade.

"Did he? And where would he get an idea like that?" Draco asked the girl. Lucy crossed her arms over her chest.

"Cos, he's stupid." Lucy grumbled.

"Now, Lucy, it isn't nice to call people names." Draco said sternly.

"But he is, daddy. He doesn't even know all his times tables." Lucy argued, talking with her hands. Draco gave her a look. She crossed her arms again and looked away. "He said that I was a witch."

Draco stopped dead in his tracks and turned to his daughter.

"He said what?" He asked trying not to sound as panicked as he felt. Lucy stopped as well and looked at her father.

"He said I was a witch. He said that I cast a spell and that was why I always get good marks. I told him that it was just because I work hard and do my work, unlike him." Lucy explained. Draco let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding.

"Oh, well that wasn't very nice of him." Draco said as he started to walk again. The two walked in silence for a moment before Lucy spoke up again.

"I've done it before." She said softly.

"Done what?" Draco asked.

"Magic." She said looking up at her dad. "But not to cheat or anything."

"What makes you think you've done magic?" He asked once again fighting to remain calm.

"Well, there was that one time at school when I was six and I was really hungry but Ms. Monroe said that I had to wait until lunch, and I turned around and there was a cookie on my desk. And then there was that time that I had a tantrum and things fell off the walls. Just little things." Lucy said. Draco looked at her through the corner of his eye.

"Those are all explainable, Lucy. Magic doesn't exist." He said as they reached the school. He turned around and knelt in front of her. "School's only been in session for two weeks. There's still time for things to change."

Lucy looked away.

"Hey, hey look at me." He said and held her chin. "You are a very special girl, Lucy. Just remember that." The little girl nodded and Draco kissed her cheek.

"Ew, dad! There are people watching." She cried wiping her cheek. Draco chuckled. She was definitely his daughter.

"Just go to class." He said giving her a light push. Lucy threw back her shoulders, set her chin and walked through the doors of the school. "Such a brave one," Draco said to himself and not for the first time, he wondered if the other blood had been from a Gryffindor.

That girl had no fears. She nearly scared him to death half a dozen times when she was a babe. She'd tried to crawl head first down stairs numerous times, she'd put almost anything in her mouth and she'll try everything once. Draco shook his head and looked at his watch.

"Bugger!" He whispered. He was going to be late for work. "Third time this month." Draco mumbled. He looked around and slipped into an alley. With a small 'pop' he apparated out of that alley to one twenty blocks away that was directly across from the magazine he worked at.

Draco hadn't sworn off magic, he just didn't do it anymore. Unless, it was necessary, like apparating to work or quickly whipping up a meal when unexpected company stopped by. Other than that, Draco lived as a muggle. He lived in a muggle apartment, sent his daughter to a muggle school and worked at a muggle magazine as a photographer

Draco had always had a bit of a fascination for muggle photographs. He liked that they seemed to capture a sole moment in time. Where as wizard photos seemed to bounce around far too much for someone to be able to enjoy them. Besides, wizards took pictures more as a necessity than a pleasure. There were portraits and family photographs but none that seemed like the photographer just thought it was pretty.

Once the war was over, Draco lived with Hermione for a bit. He was too young and male to know how to take care of an infant. Lucy had only been six month's old when Pansy died. It was shortly after Lucy's first birthday that Draco decided he didn't want his daughter to grow up in the world he did.

Though the Wizarding World was in the process of reconstruction and all was going well, Draco couldn't help but feel the need to get out. So he took his daughter and left. He found a nice two bedroom flat in downtown London, a good K-12 school from Lucy and a job at the magazine.

Draco walked across the street and entered the small office of _Serenity_ magazine. It was your average magazine; a little bit of news, a little bit of gossip. And lot's of pictures taken by yours truly.

"Hey Draco," A young girl greeted him as she passed him. She had brown hair that was up in twin buns on top of her head and large brown eyes. She wore a colorful long-sleeved shirt under a pair of overalls with a teddy bear on one pocket and she was cover in grease.

"Hey Kaylee," He greeted the girl. She was the mechanic for all the printing machines, hence the grease. "How's the old girl?" He asked referring to the printing press.

"Purrs like a kitten," She answered happily. Draco smiled.

"Good to hear." He said as he walked pass her and head to his office.

"Hey Drake, Mal's looking for you." Zoë, the resident reporter said sticking her head out from her office. Draco groaned.

"What did I do now?" He asked himself.

"You missed our meeting this morning," A voice said behind him. Draco turned around to face his boss, Malcolm Reynolds.

"'Morning Mal," Draco said cheerily. The man just looked at him. He was quite the intimidating character with his piercing dark eyes, chiseled physique and mysterious past. All Draco really knew about the man was that he was American and he was raised on a ranch by his mother and twenty or so ranch hands and later on in life was in some war as a sergeant and almost all of his troops save Zoë had been killed. And his side lost.

After the war he had a small smuggling business that was just this side of legal and spent his life keeping one foot ahead of the law. All the other employees at the magazine had once been a part of Mal's crew. How he became an editor for a magazine, Draco didn't know, nor did he ask. He respected Mal too much. This man had given him a job and never once asked Draco about his past or anything of the sort. But Draco heard something along the lines of his friend, girlfriend, or wife was killed and he took it hard.

"Look Mal, I'm real sorry. I thought the meeting was tomorrow." Draco said running a hand through his hair. "I was running late this morning and I had to take Lucy to school." Mal softened.

"How is the little tyke?" He asked turning around and gesturing for Draco to follow him.

"Oh, ugh, she's having a bit of trouble at school. Some boy is giving her a hard time." Draco answered trying to keep up with the man's long strides.

"Hmm, eleven's a tough age." Mal said. "Kids are cruel and parents-no offense- are getting too old to remember what it's like to be that age." Draco didn't say anything. He remembered exactly what it was like being eleven. But didn't have any idea on what went on in muggle schools.

"Anyway, Draco, I just wanted to see how you were doing," Mal said as he sat behind his desk and Draco took a seat in front of it.

"I'm ok" Draco answered. Mal nodded.

"It's just that…you seem kind of out of it lately." Mal said. Draco shifted in his seat. He had been distracted. Draco had been fretting over Lucy turning eleven. He had no illusions that Hogwarts would be unable to find them. He was worried about her getting a letter. But of course he couldn't tell this to Mal, a muggle.

"It's nothing." Draco said avoiding Mal's eyes. Mal sighed.

"Listen, Draco, I understand that you have a past that you're not to keen on talking about. But I'd take it as a kindness if you'd not let it affect your work." Mal said. Draco nodded.

"Anything for you, honey." Draco said batting his eyelashes. Mal rolled his eyes.

"Stop flirting with me Malfoy, and get out." Mal said trying to sound stern but the upward curl of his lips gave him away. The two would play this game often.

"Aw, you know you like it." Draco said smiling coyly. "Just admit you want me."

"I'm going to fire you," Mal said managing a bit of a glare this time. Draco got out of his chair and leaned across the desk.

"No you're not, and you know why?" Draco asked. Mal just stared at him. "Because I am just too damn pretty." Draco smirked at the man and sat back in his chair. "Not to mention that I am the only photographer in this city that'll work for riff-raff like you,"

"Shut up and get to work," Mal said shaking his head.

"'Course, sugar," Draco said flashing the man a smile and getting up. "Oh, are you lot still coming to Lucy's party on Saturday?" He asked, stopping at the door.

"Uh, yeah I think so. What time?" Mal asked.

"Noon till…you guys leave." Draco told him. Mal nodded.

"We'll be there." Waving, Draco left the office.

"You really shouldn't tease him," Draco looked up and was face to face with Simon. Simon was a doctor by trade but now he and his little sister, who's a bit barmy in the brainpan, were on the run. He was still putting his medical skills to use. You would be surprised at how often someone got hurt.

When he wasn't patching up the crew he was the resident fact checker. Simon knew everything about everything. Comes from the higher education he was privy too, and he definitely looked the part with his lily-white skin, perfect black hair, and fancy clothes. His sister, well she was just kind of _there_. She didn't do much and no one really asked her to.

"Oh Simon, calm down. I'm just having some fun." Draco said rolling his eyes.

"I don't think he finds it very fun." Simon replied disgruntled. Draco resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. He had seen the Doctor looking at Mal when he thought no one, including Mal, was watching. Draco was also quite positive that he had seen Mal do the same.

"Look, Simon-"

"Whatta we got here?" A gruff voice said. The two men turned. "Two of Mal's biggest fans." Jayne Cobb use to be Mal's mercenary. Now he was a glorified security guard with friends in low places. Draco narrowed his eyes at the man. He resisted the urge to give the oaf a patent Malfoy Death Glare. Draco really had no desire to see a grown man cry or shit himself or both, so early in the morning.

Simon opened his mouth to say something to the man but Draco interrupted him.

"Why look at this, Simon." Draco said crossing his arms and putting a finger on his chin in a thoughtful gesture as he studied the man before him. "Do you know what we got here?" Simon looked from Jayne to Draco and back again.

"I'm afraid I do not." Simon replied studying Jayne who glared at him. Jayne's dirt brown eyes widened as Draco stepped closer to him and began to circle him. Simon followed going the opposite direction.

"Stop, you guys. I mean it." Jayne cried. They were freaking him out.

"We have the first living evidence of an upright ape." Draco exclaimed coming to a halt.

"Extraordinary." Simon stopped next to him.

"And it speaks." He said in mock excitement. "Amazing, truly amazing."

Jayne narrowed his eyes at the two and flashed them a rather rude finger gesture before walking away grumbling under his breath.

"Draco, I wonder where you came from. You truly are evil." Simon said watching Jayne retreating form.

"Now why would you say that? Just because Cobb and his five inch hip-blade and impressive collection of weapons don't intimidate me, doesn't mean I am evil." Draco responded. Simon looked at the other man out of the corner of his eye.

"I fear whatever it is that caused you to run. Must be rather terrifying if it has you hiding." Simon said. Draco stared blankly out into the open office.

"I'm not hiding from anything." Draco replied.

"'Course your not." Simon patted him on the shoulder before walking past him. Draco stared after the young man.

_Really, what does he know? I am not hiding from anything. I have nothing to be afraid of. _Draco thought sourly as he walked to his office.

_Not hiding? Than why do you live with muggles as a muggle? _A voice that sounded very much like his father, asked. Draco shoved the voice away. He had spent too much time over the past years arguing with himself. He had more important things to see to.

Draco entered his office and closed the door. He took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of his chair, where it promptly slid to the floor. Cursing under his breath, Draco walked over to his chair and picked up his jacket.

He furrowed his brow as he noticed a bulge on the side which probably was the cause of the jacket falling to the floor. Draco reached into the pocket and pulled out his post. He had forgotten that he had put it in there that morning.

Draco hung the jacket on the back of his chair and sat down. He flipped through the stack of envelopes.

"Bill, bill, Advertisement –hmm nice shoes, credit cards- what do I need credit for?, bank- got one, thanks and it's fortified by goblins, what you got? Muggle bodyguards? Kurt Russell and that Eastwood fellow, 'You could already be a winner'- scam, more bills-lovely, "Draco mumbled to himself as he sorted through the post. He pulled out the last envelope.

Draco's eyes widened as he looked at the envelope.

_No, it couldn't be…_

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_(an: It's been a while since I've written a story and I know that with college and all I wont post very often, so please be patient. By the way, this is not a crossover. I used the crew of Serenity because I thought it would be fun, and it was. plus, the beauty of fan fiction, to me, is not having to do all that work in creating your own characters, so I simply borrowed some more.)_


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